Nepal has seen a significant increase in its forest cover over the past three decades, according to a new report. The country's forested area grew from 29 percent in 1994 to more than 46 percent in 2022, largely due to community-based forest management initiatives.
Despite this progress, the report highlights ongoing concerns about forest fragmentation and degradation. Between 2018 and 2022, both average tree canopy cover and height have declined. The weakening condition of forests poses risks to biodiversity, watershed health, erosion control, and ecosystem services.
The report emphasizes the importance of accurate and regularly updated subnational forest data for local governments. Such information is considered essential for evidence-based planning and enables performance-based fiscal transfers within the forestry sector.
Sustainable management practices must address both ecological preservation and socioeconomic needs. The findings show that 66 percent of Nepali households collect non-timber forest products (NTFPs), with poorer families most dependent on public forests. Private trees also play an important role: nearly half of all households gather NTFPs from trees on their own land.
Women are identified as the primary collectors of NTFPs, highlighting their central role in supporting household livelihoods through forest resources.
The report offers detailed biophysical data for all 753 municipalities in Nepal as well as the first nationally representative socioeconomic data on forest dependency.
Recommendations include maintaining up-to-date subnational biophysical data, integrating ecological and social objectives into management plans, supporting community forestry user groups—especially those involving women and Indigenous People—and encouraging private tree planting to reduce pressure on public forests. Expanding forestry extension services tailored to small-scale planters is also suggested to boost productivity and regeneration efforts.
There remain significant knowledge gaps regarding Nepal’s forests. More detailed maps are needed showing ecosystem types, watersheds, and who manages each area—community groups, government agencies, or private owners—to better understand how different management models affect outcomes for people and nature. Additionally, there is limited information about trees grown on private land: their contribution to family needs such as firewood or fodder; preferred species; timber production levels; impacts on wood-based businesses; and challenges faced by households seeking to plant more trees.
The report concludes that while Nepal’s community-centered approach remains robust, its long-term success depends on closing these critical data gaps and aligning policy tools with reliable spatial evidence while balancing environmental goals with economic realities.